The game had just ended when Li Chen slipped away. When Alvin Gentry eagerly went looking for his star pupil to attend the postgame press conference, he came up empty-handed.
It left him feeling both fond and exasperated, so he had no choice but to attend the press conference alone, wondering what he would say if the reporters asked why Li Chen wasn't there.
Kobe didn't attend the Lakers' postgame press conference.
He could accept losing. The Black Mamba could accept a loss, but losing to luck? Honestly, he couldn't help feeling a little indignant.
So he planned to practice, silently thinking, Is luck really that powerful? Then I'll practice until even luck can't stop me.
At the Lakers' postgame press conference, the hulking O'Neal sat beside Phil Jackson.
Just then, a reporter asked, "Mr. O'Neal, what did you think of the Clippers' Eastern 'Chen' tonight?"
Hearing the question, O'Neal covered his bald head with both hands and put on an expression of existential despair.
"Oh, God! Can you imagine the nightmare I went through? That damn Eastern Kid—I couldn't stop him no matter how I defended him. The bastard kept scoring, so I got mad and knocked him to the floor. And then you saw what happened: I got tossed from the game." O'Neal shrugged.
O'Neal's exaggerated delivery turned the postgame press conference into a stand-up comedy show, making the reporters burst out laughing.
Then O'Neal continued, "The most infuriating part is that even after I slapped that bastard to the floor, he still managed to score. Can you understand how maddening and hopeless that feels?"
The scene flashed through everyone's minds. Their mouths twitched in unison. Yes, it really was hopeless.
"Oh, God! At the time, I honestly felt like I was playing basketball against God's own son."
At O'Neal's over-the-top delivery, the reporters burst out laughing again.
Phil Jackson was speechless. That was Shaq for you! Turning a postgame press conference into a stand-up comedy show—there was nobody else like him.
"Mr. O'Neal, what do you think about the next derby?" a reporter asked, finally getting to the point.
"Oh! As long as God abandons him, victory will belong to our Lakers."
Bill Duffy had watched the game too. When he saw Li Chen's wild, unorthodox shots, he was stunned.
Even now, he felt as if he were still dreaming.
"This is an unrepeatable miracle!" Bill Duffy murmured.
Then Bill Duffy paused. A miracle? That was a great hook! It could greatly boost Li Chen's fame back home and catch the attention of businessmen. That was how he could make a fortune!
After a flurry of maneuvering by Bill Duffy, Li Chen's name gradually spread across the United States.
Bill Duffy had just finished taking care of that when he received a call from an unfamiliar number.
He answered, and heard a man politely ask, "Are you Mr. Bill Duffy, Li Chen's agent?"
"Yes, I am. Who's calling?"
"Heh, I forgot to introduce myself. I'm Tao Wen, a representative of Li Ning Sports in the Eastern Nation. I'm calling to discuss an endorsement deal with you."
They had approached Bill Duffy about an endorsement because Li Chen's performance that night fit their company's slogan perfectly: Anything is possible.
Bill Duffy was taken aback at first, then broke into a charming smile. He hadn't expected an endorsement offer to come so soon.
After chatting with Tao Wen for a while, he hung up and called Li Chen.
To his dismay, Li Chen's phone was switched off. He'd have to find Chen tomorrow.
Li Chen's performances over the past few games had also made fans back home aware of him.
Meanwhile, Li Chen had no idea his phone had run out of battery. He was eagerly studying the new skill he'd just obtained.
[Miracle Shot] [Level: D-rank] [Experience: 0/1,000,000] [Description: Every time the host's shot is judged to have missed, it has a 10% chance of going in (Note: does not apply to airballs).]
When Li Chen saw that reaching the next level required one million experience points, his mouth twitched.
That's a lot! Looks like I need to figure out how to make money.
Although the Miracle Shot skill could also gain experience through shooting, the increase was far too slow.
First, he had to make an offensive move. Second, he couldn't deliberately miss. That made it much more difficult, so Li Chen decided not to grind experience that way. It was just too much trouble!
Then Li Chen picked up the ball and continued shooting threes to grind experience.
With the miraculous power of the Functional Drink, Li Chen practiced until after midnight. Before he knew it, he was asleep on the floor again.
The next day, Bill Duffy woke Li Chen up.
So Li Chen successfully scored another free meal from Bill Duffy.
Then Bill Duffy said, "Chen, a major sporting goods company from your country wants you to endorse them."
Li Chen was momentarily stunned, then delighted. He was short on money, and now a company had come to offer him an endorsement deal.
Li Chen quickly swallowed the food in his mouth, then asked eagerly, "Which company? How much are they offering?"
Bill Duffy smiled faintly, thinking, I thought you weren't interested in money.
Coming back to himself, Bill Duffy said, "They're offering eight million over five years. What do you think?"
Li Chen thought it over and nodded. He was satisfied with the offer. After all, he wasn't famous yet, so the amount was more than fair.
Then Li Chen asked, "Which company?"
He was curious which company back home had such a good eye for talent.
"Li Ning."
Li Chen was momentarily taken aback, then furrowed his brow slightly.
Seeing this, Bill Duffy was puzzled. "Chen, is something wrong?"
Li Chen let out a long breath and said apologetically, "I'm sorry, Bill Duffy, but I don't want to do this endorsement."
Bill Duffy's eyes widened in disbelief. "Chen, why not?"
Bill Duffy couldn't understand Li Chen. He really couldn't.
A moment ago, Li Chen had been so happy and eager. Why had his attitude changed so drastically as soon as he heard the company name?
Of course, Li Chen wasn't going to tell Bill Duffy that the company would one day turn national humiliation into a fashion trend.
Then he shook his head and said, "I'm sorry about this. I'll make it up to you in the future."
After all, Bill Duffy had gone to the trouble of finding him an endorsement deal. Li Chen felt bad about turning it down; Bill Duffy needed to make money too.
Of course, if Li Chen had known the sponsorship offer had come to him without any effort on his part, he definitely wouldn't have offered to make it up to him.
By then, Bill Duffy had recovered from his confusion. He shook his head and said, "Chen, you don't need to be like that. It's your right to accept or turn down an endorsement."
Although Bill Duffy said that, Li Chen's words had warmed him. After all, who didn't want to feel respected?
Then Bill Duffy chatted with Li Chen for a while. Just as the two were about to leave, Bill Duffy's phone rang.
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